One of the world's most famous cities and with great reason. Hollywood! Venice Beach! Beverly Hills! Sunset Boulevard! Come bathe in the light, the glamour and the buzz, see why this city became the epicentre of one of the most exciting industries on earth.
✨ Highlights of your Holidays to Los Angeles
🌴 World-famous beaches strung along the Pacific, Santa Monica Pier, Venice boardwalk, Malibu's dramatic cliffs and the family-friendly stretches further south
🎬 Hollywood and the film industry on full display, the Walk of Fame, the Hollywood Sign, studio tours at Warner Bros and Paramount, and Universal Studios theme park up in the hills
🛍️ Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive and the Sunset Strip, the most concentrated dose of celebrity-spotting and luxury shopping anywhere in the US
🏞️ The Griffith Observatory perched in the hills with panoramic city views, plus Runyon Canyon hikes for sunrise photos and Mulholland Drive for the classic Hollywood drive
🌮 An incredible food scene, world-class tacos in East LA, fine dining in Beverly Hills, vegan icons in West Hollywood and the legendary diners and food trucks the city is built on
📌 Good to Know
☀️ Weather is reliably warm year-round, summer (June to September) is hot and dry at 25-29°C, winter (December to February) stays mild at 20-22°C, and there's a famous "June Gloom" marine layer of grey morning cloud that burns off by lunchtime in early summer
💵 Let's be honest - LA is the city of dreams, but dreams aren't cheap, restaurant meals cost more than London (a sit-down lunch is $20-30 a head, dinner $40-60+, a beer $8-10, a cocktail $18-25), plus 18-20% tipping on top.
🎬 LA is built on the film industry but most Angelenos work in entirely unrelated fields, the city of 4 million has the third-largest economy of any US metro area and is also the country's biggest manufacturing hub, biggest port, and home to the most museums
What are the best beaches in the Los Angeles?
You don’t need to travel far from the hustle and bustle of an LA city break before you find the ocean. There are 15 beaches across the county where you can mingle with the glamorous locals, catch a wave, or relax on the sands. Here are some of the best:
Santa Monica State Beach – Chances are you’ve heard of this sociable beach, and it’s the best place to people-watch the glamorous locals (known as Angelenos!).
Mother’s Beach – One of the best for your family holidays to Los Angeles, with safe, shallow waters and a great playground.
Venice Beach - A bohemian favourite with many quirky stalls and performers, all accessible by boardwalk.
El Matador State Beach - Dramatic waves and stunning views make this beach perfect for a romantic day out.
Carbon Beach - Experience a luxury lifestyle at this secluded location that backs onto fabulous houses, earning it the nickname ‘Billionaire’s Beach’
Surfrider Beach - The name speaks for itself, this really is an amazing spot to catch a wave with the local surfers.
🏨 Where to Stay on your Los Angeles Holidays
LA's hotel scene is vast and the right neighbourhood matters more than in most cities, you'll spend a lot of time getting between areas if you pick the wrong base. The headline spots are Santa Monica (beach + walkable), Hollywood (iconic + central), Beverly Hills (luxury + shopping), Downtown (urban + cultural), Long Beach (relaxed waterfront) and Huntington Beach (family-friendly surf city). Have a look at our picks below or browse all our LA hotels for the full range.
👨👩👧 Best for Families
🏨 Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach – Direct beach access, 517 rooms, the Slyders Water Playground with three slides and a kids' pool, Camp Hyatt children's programme, lagoon-inspired swimming pool and a private patio or balcony in every room. Built for families.
🏨 The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton – Oceanfront with two towers, two swimming pools (one with water slides), the Driftwood Beach Club with lagoon-style pool and firepits on private sand. The kids' pool slide setup makes this a winner with younger families.
🏨 The Garland (North Hollywood) – A Universal Studios Preferred Hotel Partner with a free trolley to the theme park, modern 70s-style decor, Wellness and family Suites, and a 70s-pool aesthetic that kids love. Brilliant base for an LA + Universal trip.
🏨 Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City – Between Hollywood Hills and Studio City with a free daily shuttle to Universal Studios, a swimming pool, fitness room and family-friendly multi-cuisine dining. Suites with separate parlour areas for bigger families.
💕 Best for Couples
🏨 Hollywood Roosevelt – On Hollywood Boulevard with proper old-school glamour, Marilyn Monroe reportedly stayed here for almost two years. Pool, on-site nightclub, poolside movie theatre with cult classic screenings, and the most iconic Hollywood address you can book.
🏨 Viceroy Santa Monica – Beach-vibe boutique just 4 minutes' walk from Santa Monica beach, Sugar Palm restaurant for indoor-outdoor dining, complimentary beach yoga twice daily, and rooms with proper Pacific views. Properly stylish couples' pick.
🏨 W Hollywood – Modern chic right on Hollywood Boulevard with the W's signature design-led rooms, the Delphine Bistro for Californian dining, and The Living Room cocktail bar. Lively at night, comfortable by day.
🏨 Kimpton Everly Hotel (Hollywood) – Across the street from the Capitol Records building, 3-minute walk to the Walk of Fame, with rooms offering Hollywood Sign views and a wellness ethos (yoga mats in every room, request-a-plant service). Brilliant location for couples doing the Hollywood thing.
✨ Luxury
🏨 The Peninsula Beverly Hills – Five-star Beverly Hills with rooftop lap pool, Italian marble bathrooms with oversized tubs, 24-hour concierge, tropical gardens, and a stroll to Rodeo Drive. The discreet luxury choice.
🏨 Beverly Hilton – The Golden Globes hotel, smack in central Beverly Hills with an oasis-inspired outdoor pool, daybeds, the Aqua Star Babor Beauty Spa, and walking distance to the Beverly Hills Sign and Rodeo Drive flagships.
🏨 Hollywood Roosevelt – Old Hollywood luxury on the Boulevard with the heritage to back it up. Tower rooms, suites, and Cabana rooms by the pool, plus the famous on-site nightclub. The most cinematic luxury pick.
👯 Best for Groups
🏨 Queen Mary Hotel (Long Beach) – Genuinely sleeping aboard a historic ocean liner moored in Long Beach. Properly memorable group experience, plus the historic ship tours and onboard restaurants are an event in themselves.
🏨 W Hollywood – Multiple bars, restaurants and a social pool deck with proper group-friendly energy in the middle of the Hollywood nightlife scene.
🏨 The Portofino Hotel & Marina (Redondo Beach) – Waterfront Redondo Beach with stunning ocean and marina views, away from the central LA buzz, perfect for a group wanting a coastal base for a few days of beach and water sports.
💰 Best Value
🏨 Doubletree by Hilton LA Downtown – Solid Downtown four-star with cracking views over the city, indoor pool, multiple dining options and easy transit access. Reliable mid-range value in a central spot.
🏨 Hampton Inn & Suites Santa Monica – 10-minute walk to the Santa Monica Pier, free breakfast buffet, outdoor pool and hot tub, plus a Metro E Line stop steps away for easy LA exploring. Serious value for the location.
🏨 The Normandie Hotel – An artsy boutique vibe in Mid-City, walking distance to Koreatown's restaurant scene. Properly priced for a creative-leaning city break.
🗣️ Local Lingo
English is the main language but Spanish is everywhere in LA thanks to the huge Latino population (about half the county). A few useful phrases plus essential LA slang:
👋 Hola, Hello (Spanish)
🙏 Gracias, Thank you
🌫️ June Gloom, the marine layer of grey morning cloud that hangs over the coast in late spring/early summer, burns off by midday
🚗 The 405, the famous (infamous) LA freeway, locals always use "the" before freeway numbers ("take the 10, then the 405")
🏖️ Angeleno, what locals call themselves (residents of LA), pronounced "ang-guh-LAY-no"
🌍 Where to Stay in Los Angeles
LA is a constellation of distinct neighbourhoods more than a single city, and the right base saves hours of driving. Here's the breakdown by demo.
👨👩👧 Families
Huntington Beach is the family pick, a 10-mile sandy beach, surf-school energy and big resort hotels with kids' pools and water slides. Anaheim is the move if you're focusing on Disneyland, with hotels right opposite the parks. Santa Monica works for families wanting beach + walkable city, the Pier rides and aquarium are right there, and the Metro E Line gets you into central LA without driving.
💕 Couples
Hollywood for the iconic LA experience, walking distance to the Walk of Fame, Sunset Strip nightlife, rooftop bars and old-school hotels with serious heritage. Beverly Hills for proper luxury, Rodeo Drive shopping, Michelin-starred dining and the most famous postcode in the city. Santa Monica for beach-meets-city romance, sunsets over the Pacific, Pier walks and a more relaxed pace than central LA.
👯 Groups
Long Beach for a waterfront group base with the Queen Mary, the Aquarium of the Pacific, easy access to LA proper but its own pace. Hollywood for the nightlife scene, plenty of group-friendly hotels and the LA experience that everyone wants. Downtown LA for the urban side, sleek high-rise hotels, rooftop bars and walking distance to the Crypto.com Arena (Lakers/Kings) and the LA Live entertainment complex.
✈️ Holidays to Los Angeles – Travel Guide 2026 / 2027
👨👩👧 Families
🎢 Universal Studios Hollywood is the big-day-out theme park, with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Studio Tour through the back lot, and proper rollercoasters. Easy half-day or full-day depending on energy
🦒 LA Zoo in Griffith Park has a properly varied collection plus the Tom Mankiewicz Conservation Carousel, easier-going than the bigger theme parks
🌅 Sunset cruise from Long Beach or Marina del Rey for a non-driving evening with the kids, the Pacific sunsets are properly spectacular
🐠 Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is a brilliant rainy-day or post-beach activity, kids love the touch tanks and shark lagoon
🏖️ Spend a beach day at Mother's Beach in Marina del Rey for very young kids, or Huntington Beach for older ones who want to try a surf lesson
💕 Couples
🎬 Take a guided tour of Warner Bros, Paramount or Sony Pictures studios for the proper behind-the-scenes look at how films and TV get made
🛣️ Drive Mulholland Drive at sunset, the winding road along the top of the Hollywood Hills with views over the city on one side and the Valley on the other
🍷 Dinner at one of the Beverly Hills Michelin-starred spots (Spago, Mélisse, Providence) followed by cocktails at a rooftop bar in West Hollywood
🥾 Hike Runyon Canyon at sunrise or Griffith Park for the Griffith Observatory and the closest legal viewpoint of the Hollywood Sign
🏛️ Spend an afternoon at the Getty Centre or Getty Villa, both free to enter (just pay parking) with stunning architecture, gardens and serious art collections
👯 Groups
🌃 Hit the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood for the legendary nightlife scene, from the Whisky a Go Go to The Roxy to the rooftop bars at the Mondrian and Sunset Tower
🎵 Catch a gig at the Hollywood Bowl, an outdoor amphitheatre with picnic tables (you can bring your own food and drink), a properly LA evening out
🚙 Day trip down the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu, stopping at Neptune's Net for fish tacos and beach hopping along the way
🍻 Beer crawl through the Arts District in Downtown LA, the area has a serious craft brewery scene plus great street art and food
🏀 Catch a Lakers, Clippers or Kings game at the Crypto.com Arena Downtown, or a Dodgers baseball game at Dodger Stadium for the proper American sports experience
🏝️ More Destinations
California, the wider state with San Francisco, Napa wine country and the Pacific Coast Highway
America, the full US destination hub with every major city and resort
Las Vegas, four hours' drive (or one-hour flight) from LA, the obvious add-on for a US road trip
Florida, the East Coast counterpart with Miami, Orlando and the Keys
New York, the East Coast city alternative for the classic US double-act trip
Popular Los Angeles hotels
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Weather in Los Angeles
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Benefitting from mild winters and hot summers, Los Angeles is a great year-round destination. With an average temperature of 14°C in December and 22°C in August, a trip to LA can be the perfect start, middle, or end to the year.
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FAQs
How long does it take to fly to Los Angeles?
How long does it take to fly to Los Angeles?
It takes around 11 and a half hours to fly to Los Angeles from the UK.
What's the time difference between the UK and Los Angeles?
What's the time difference between the UK and Los Angeles?
The local time in Los Angeles is seven hours behind the UK.
What language do they speak in Los Angeles?
What language do they speak in Los Angeles?
The official language spoken in Los Angeles is English.
What currency do they use in Los Angeles?
What currency do they use in Los Angeles?
The official currency used in Los Angeles is the US Dollar.
Do I need a visa to visit Los Angeles?
Do I need a visa to visit Los Angeles?
UK and Ireland citizens can visit the US for up to 90 days without a visa under the Visa Waiver Programme, but you must apply for ESTA authorisation before you travel. ESTA is currently $21 USD, valid for two years, and you should apply at least 72 hours before your flight. Apply only via the official site (esta.cbp.dhs.gov) to avoid third-party fees.
When's the best time to visit Los Angeles?
When's the best time to visit Los Angeles?
March to May and September to November are the sweet spots, warm but not hot, smaller crowds than peak summer, and the lowest hotel prices. Summer (June to August) is hot, busy and most expensive but reliable for swimming and outdoor stuff. Winter (December to February) is mild (20-22°C) but cooler in the evenings, with occasional rain, and properly atmospheric for a city break.
Do you need a car in Los Angeles?
Do you need a car in Los Angeles?
Depends on your trip. If you're staying in Santa Monica, Downtown or Hollywood and sticking to nearby attractions, you can manage with the Metro and Uber/Lyft. If you want to do Malibu, Pasadena, day trips or really explore the city, a hire car makes life much easier. LA was built for cars, public transport works for some routes but not others, and Uber adds up over a week.
Is the Pacific Ocean warm enough to swim in?
Is the Pacific Ocean warm enough to swim in?
Cooler than UK visitors expect. The Pacific runs 16-18°C in winter and only reaches 19-21°C at the height of summer (August-September). It's much colder than the Mediterranean or the Caribbean, which is why most beachgoers wear wetsuits for surfing and many don't swim much at all. The beach culture is more about lying on the sand, walking the boardwalks and watching the surfers than spending hours in the water.
